Many investigators have explored the relationship between success on high stakes testing and student motivation; however, little research has been done to discover the relationship between low academic achievement and student motivation. At the time of this publication, low academic achievement in a school in New Mexico had led to failed Adequate Yearly Progress for 5 years. Furthermore, local evidence suggested that students had little concern for improving their test scores or understanding the implications for higher academic achievement. This climate of student apathy, along the possibility of further restructuring and closing the school, underscored the need for research on motivation and academic achievement. The quantitative design included Pearson correlations to show the relationships among the Purpose in Life (PIL) test based on Frankl's will to meaning theory, the Life Attitude Profile-Revised (LAP-R) Instrument, and standardized tests and grade point averages (GPA). Statistical analysis showed no correlation between the PIL and GPA ( p = 0.20), weak correlations between the PIL with reading scores (p = 0.20), and a moderate negative correlation between the PIL and math scores (p = 0.01). These findings can be used to inform secondary school educators about the lack of a relationship between the PIL and student achievement and suggest that caution be applied when using the PIL as a means of predicting student success. The research findings could help direct teachers to seek more accurate predictors of student achievement, recognize that a low PIL score may not translate into low standardized test scores, and reconsider the role that the PIL may play in creating academic achievement and a positive academic climate. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]